Looking out for you
by Beckslee
Summary: Emma is sick but Jefferson is there to look after her. Mad Swan


ok once again, none of these people are mine (sadly) I'm playing with them and I promise they'll still be in mint condition when I put them back in the box.

* * *

Emma blearily slapped at the alarm clock trying to squeeze in a few minutes extra sleep. Unable to get comfortable on her side, she flipped over to get some heat from the other body in bed. An arm circled her and pulled her closer and a voice gravelly with sleep questioned, "what? No bounding out of bed today? You're not leaving me at the first sign the rest of the world needs you?" Emma mumbled into his chest, "you'll have to speak up Princess, I caught none of that." Emma raised her head, "I said some crazy hatter kept me up last night doing things it isn't appropriate for a _princess_ to talk about and now I don't feel well because I'm tired." Jefferson chuckled and rubbed her back. "I would say I'm sorry love, but I am entirely unrepentant."

They lay there, drifting back to sleep, when the alarm rang out again. Emma groaned and rolled out of Jefferson's arms, this time hitting the off button instead of the snooze. She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. As she started stand the giddiness kicked in, weakly she called "Jefferson, I really don't feel well." In an instant he was out of bed, worry clouding his blue eyes. He brushed her hair from her face, noting her washed out colouring. "Emma love, this isn't a lack of sleep, you're pale and clammy, lie down I'll go get you some water." Emma tried to fight it but moving didn't just make her head spin she also felt like she was going to throw up. Fighting that urge as well as Jefferson's insistence was too much, so she lay back down closing her eyes against her rolling stomach. Pulling the covers over Emma, Jefferson grabbed his phone and went to the bathroom.

As he wet a cloth and got a glass of water, Jefferson related Emma's ill-health to Prince James and told him that someone would have to fill in as sheriff for at least a day. The prince wanted to send a doctor, but Jefferson assured him that Emma would be taken care of and if she got any worse then he would be the first to call for help. "... its probably just best for her to sleep it off if she can. Tell Henry to come by after school, she'll like that..." Jefferson signed off as he re-entered the bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed and gently wiped Emma's face with the damp cloth, "love, I'm going to go and get Grace ready for school, are you going to be ok here for a bit?" Emma nodded, eyes still shut. "There is water on the bedside table if you want it." Jefferson ran his knuckles down her cheek and pressed his lips to her forehead.

Downstairs Jefferson bustled around the kitchen getting Grace ready to go to school. He explained that Emma wasn't feeling well, when Grace asked what she could do to help he told her to go to school, "tell Henry that she's going to be ok, and bring him home with you, if he wants to stay the night tell him that's fine." Grace smiled and kissed his cheek before running out the door. Jefferson stood at the front door watching her go. Once she was out of sight, he went back to the kitchen, grabbed two cups of tea and climbed the stairs to check on Emma.

She was lying faced away from him with the blankets all bunched up around her waist, Jefferson went to put the tea down and noticed that the water had spilled. "Emma are you ok?" She groaned, "I tried to drink some water - it made me throw up." Jefferson straightened the covers and leant over her, "can I do anything love - get you anything?" She shook her head, but reached out her hand behind her, "stay with me, I'm cold" he slid into bed behind her and wrapped her in his arms willing as much body heat as her could into her. Eventually Emma fell back asleep and Jefferson eased himself out of bed. He tucked her in and tidied away the cups, taking them to the kitchen.

Jefferson's day was spent sitting with Emma when she was awake and largely worrying about her while she was asleep, the only things she could keep down were peppermint tea and crackers which she could nibble at. When Grace and Henry arrived after school delivered by Snow White, Henry raced up to see Emma while Snow helped Jefferson take Henry's things to a room that he had set up for the boy during one of Emma's naps. All the way Snow was firing questions at him about Emma, they both came to the conclusion that it was probably a stomach bug that would clear up in a day or two and Jefferson got Snow's agreement that the sheriff's job should be covered for at least another two days. As they reached Emma, Henry was finishing his recount of the school day. Snow went in to see Emma while Jefferson stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame, pleased that for the first time today she appeared more happy than sick. Grace appeared at his side and took his hand, he smiled down at her, his family was complete. An idea struck him and he tugged his daughter away to talk to her.

The next day was similar to the first. Emma was still giddy and threw up what ever she had managed to eat in the morning, but in the afternoon she was starting to eat more. Jefferson took another cup of tea and some toast to her, sat on the bed and asked how she was feeling. "Much better babe. Soon I'll be able to get out of this bed then Henry and I can get out of your hair." Jefferson went very still and quietly asked "what if you didn't?" Emma looked at him puzzled, "what do you mean?" He nervously twisted the rings on his fingers, but looked her straight in the eye, "what if when you are better you and Henry don't leave, what if you move in here properly?" Emma looked closely to see if he was serious. "Babe, I don't know, this is all still pretty new -" He cut her off, "Emma, time isn't going to change this for me, you are my family. Just as much as Grace is and I want my family with me. 28 years of not being able to do anything has taught me not to waste time. If you think this isn't going to last then tell me now, otherwise why should we wait?"

Emma looked away from him, thinking. The relationship had already gone way past a casual thing, in the past by this time she would have moved town and changed her phone number already. Her fascination with Jefferson had only grown as her love for him had and she had to admit he was a fantastic father. Jefferson was the only person that could _always_ get Henry to listen. She loved her new-found parents, but Emma had to admit, her favourite times were the mornings she got to have breakfast with Henry and Jefferson, moving in she could have that every day.

When she met Jefferson's gaze again, her eyes were filled with love. He beamed at the sight, she smiled in return and kissed him, "Obviously I'll have to talk to Henry, but if he's ok with it I'd love to!" Jefferson grinned and hugged her. "Grace will be so pleased, I talked to her yesterday and she said if you didn't agree she was going to nag you into it." Emma laughed, delighted that it was Grace as well as Jefferson that wanted her here. "Well, now I have to get better, apparently I have packing to do."

* * *

One month later...

Emma and Jefferson lay on the couch, arms and legs tangled together. The children had been in bed for a while and the couple were enjoying the peace. Emma shifted slightly and broke the silence. "Do you know what today is?" He didn't even stop to think, "its one month since you and Henry moved in." Emma smiled, and picked up one of his hands pressing it between both of hers, "and how do you think its going?" He cracked open one eye, "its perfect, Grace and I love having you here," he hesitated for a moment and then added, "do you think its going well?" she sat up, still holding his hand, "I... I really do, we've all had massive changes in our lives the past few months and there is so much adjusting going on, but we fit together as a family and I like it." Emma turned and smiled uneasily at him. Jefferson raised himself onto his elbow, "love, what is it? Are you worried about something?" she looked at their hands, "kind of - a bit, I mean there is so much change going on and I wonder how much we can handle," Jefferson sat up next to her, lifted her chin so he could see her face and said firmly, "Emma I love you, nothing will change that, no matter what happens I will be by your side we will face the world together, protecting our children."

Tears leaked from Emma's eyes as she smiled a watery smile at him. "I hope you mean it, because more change is coming." she sniffed and wiped her eyes. Jefferson shrugged, "change always happens, its the nature of the beast, and you deal with it as best you can." Emma laughed, "what I'm thinking of is slightly more specific." she took a deep breath, "when you asked me to move in I was sick, remember." Jefferson nodded frowning - as if he'd forget that, Emma continued, "what I didn't tell you was that the symptoms didn't entirely go away, I've still been getting a bit giddy every now and then and there have been other things that I've noticed recently too." Jefferson's frown deepened, "why haven't you told me this before Emma, tomorrow I'm taking you to the doctor -" he was abruptly cut off by Emma leaning forward and kissing him. She drew back smiling, "Babe I'm fine, I know what's wrong... well not wrong exactly..." she grabbed both of his hands, "I'm pregnant."

It was hard to make Jefferson lose concentration, and he always had a comeback for anything Emma threw at him, but this time he was lost for words. "You're... I... We... a baby... but we... a baby?" He looked down at her still flat stomach, then reached his hands out to cover it, in a voice now filled with wonder he whispered "we're going to have a baby." Emma grinned down at him, "not too much change is it?" Hands still caressing her belly he darted up and kissed her. "This is the best change, I thought during the past month what we had was perfect, now I realise I was wrong. Thank you love." He kissed her again and lay back down pulling Emma with him so they were both on their backs, his arms around her. They stayed that way each smiling a private smile, until Jefferson looked down at her, "how long have you known?" Emma laced her fingers through his as they rested over her stomach, "only two days, I've been looking for the right time to tell you, I didn't know how you'd react, I wasn't even sure how I was taking it for a while, its not like this was planned." Jefferson kissed her temple, "this is perfect, _you're_ perfect Emma, I will be there for you through all of it and when our baby enters this world I will love it with everything I have."

He felt Emma relax against him, then heard her sniffle. "Emma?" she shook her head to dispell his worry and wiped her eyes, if the house hadn't been so silent he never would have heard the whispered "I love you Jefferson." His arms tightened around her, it was rare that she said the words, he didn't need them - he knew how she felt - but it was always special when she did say it. He promised himself then that this time, nothing would pull his family apart, not hats, not curses, not Regina, he had everything he could ever want and this time he wouldn't let go.

THE END


End file.
